---
title: "WhoDB vs TablePlus: Complete Comparison"
description: "Compare WhoDB and TablePlus database management tools. Feature differences, pricing, performance, UI comparison, and which is best for your workflow."
---

# WhoDB vs TablePlus: Complete Comparison

TablePlus is a modern, elegant database management tool that has gained popularity among developers who appreciate clean design and native performance. If you're choosing between WhoDB and TablePlus, this comprehensive comparison will help you make the right decision.

## Quick Summary

<CardGroup cols={2}>
<Card title="WhoDB" icon="globe">
**The Web-Based Solution**

Fast, free, web-based, multi-database support, team-friendly

**Best for:** Teams, Docker deployments, cross-platform access, open source projects
</Card>

<Card title="TablePlus" icon="window">
**The Native Desktop Experience**

Elegant, polished, fast native app, excellent macOS integration, one-time payment

**Best for:** Individual developers, Mac users, native app enthusiasts, professionals willing to pay
</Card>
</CardGroup>

## Head-to-Head Comparison

| Aspect | WhoDB | TablePlus |
|--------|-------|-----------|
| **Price** | Free (Open Source) | $89-$129 (lifetime) |
| **Startup Time** | \<1 second | 1-2 seconds |
| **Memory Usage** | ~50MB | ~150MB |
| **Platform** | Web-based (any browser) | Native (Mac, Windows, Linux) |
| **Installation** | No installation | Download + install |
| **Offline Access** | No | Yes |
| **Multi-Database** | Yes (6+) | Yes (15+) |
| **Database Support** | Common databases | Good coverage |
| **UI Modern** | Yes | Yes |
| **Learning Curve** | Very low | Very low |
| **Team Features** | Excellent | Limited |
| **Collaboration** | Central server access | Individual licenses |
| **Export Options** | 4 formats | Multiple formats |
| **Mock Data** | Built-in | No |
| **Open Source** | Yes | No |

## Deployment Models

This is one of the most fundamental differences:

### WhoDB: Web-Based

<CardGroup cols={1}>
<Card title="Browser-Based Architecture">
- Access from anywhere with browser
- Works on Mac, Windows, Linux, iPad
- Central server deployment
- Team access from single URL
- No installation on client machines
- Scales horizontally
- Updates server-side (instant for all users)
</Card>
</CardGroup>

**Advantages:**
- Access from anywhere (office, home, mobile)
- Same experience across all devices
- Easy team scaling
- One server to maintain
- Mobile/iPad support
- Instant updates for all users
- Work-from-anywhere friendly

**Disadvantages:**
- Requires internet connection
- Server needs to stay running
- Can't access completely offline

### TablePlus: Native Desktop

<CardGroup cols={1}>
<Card title="Native Desktop Application">
- Download and install on each device
- Works offline after installation
- Native OS integration
- Traditional desktop app paradigm
- Individual configuration per user
- No server required
- Download updates as released
</Card>
</CardGroup>

**Advantages:**
- Works completely offline
- Native OS performance
- Desktop-first experience
- No server infrastructure needed
- Individual user control
- Direct database access
- OS integration (Dock, system menu, etc.)

**Disadvantages:**
- Must install on each device
- Different versions per OS (Mac/Windows/Linux differ)
- Team setup complexity
- Offline-first, not team-first
- Manual update management

## Price and Value Analysis

### WhoDB Pricing

| Edition | Cost | Per User | Best For |
|---------|------|----------|----------|
| Community | Free | $0 | Individual projects, small teams, open source |
| Enterprise | Custom | Varies | Large teams, enterprise features, support |

**Cost for Different Team Sizes:**
- Solo developer: $0/month
- Small team (5): $0/month
- Team (10): $0/month (Community) or custom (Enterprise)
- Enterprise (50+): Custom pricing

### TablePlus Pricing

| Edition | Cost | Per User | Best For |
|---------|------|----------|----------|
| Standard | $89 | Per user | Individual developers |
| Pro | $129 | Per user | Professionals, advanced features |

**Cost for Different Scenarios:**
- Solo developer: $89-$129 one-time
- Small team (5): $445-$645 total (one-time)
- Team (10): $890-$1,290 total (one-time)
- Team (50): $4,450-$6,450 total (one-time)

**Cost Analysis:**
- 1 developer: TablePlus costs $89
- 5 developers: WhoDB saves $445-$645
- 10 developers: WhoDB saves $890-$1,290
- Break-even: ~1 developer using WhoDB for 1 year equals TablePlus one-time cost

## Performance Comparison

Both tools are fast, but in different ways:

### Startup Performance

| Action | WhoDB | TablePlus |
|--------|-------|-----------|
| Application startup | \<1 second | 1-2 seconds |
| First database load | \<500ms | 1 second |
| Ready to work | \<1 second | 2-3 seconds |

**Typical workflow (checking 5 tables):**
- WhoDB: 10-15 seconds
- TablePlus: 3-5 seconds (already running) or 8-10 seconds (cold start)

### Ongoing Performance

Once running:
- WhoDB: Excellent, responsive UI
- TablePlus: Excellent, native performance

For most operations (queries, editing, browsing), both are similarly fast. Difference is mainly in startup time.

## Database Support

### WhoDB Support

**Community Edition:**
- PostgreSQL 10+
- MySQL 5.7+ / MariaDB
- SQLite 3
- MongoDB 4.0+
- Redis 5.0+
- ElasticSearch

**Enterprise Edition adds:**
- Oracle
- SQL Server
- DynamoDB
- Cassandra
- Snowflake
- And more

### TablePlus Support

Excellent coverage of 15+ databases:
- PostgreSQL
- MySQL / MariaDB
- SQLite
- SQL Server
- Oracle
- Redis
- MongoDB
- Cassandra
- CockroachDB
- MySQL Replication
- Database JSON files

**Advantage:** TablePlus has good database coverage for most users

## Feature Comparison

<AccordionGroup>
<Accordion title="Core Features">
| Feature | WhoDB | TablePlus |
|---------|:----:|:--------:|
| **Browse Tables** | Yes | Yes |
| **Edit Data** | Yes | Yes |
| **Add Records** | Yes | Yes |
| **Delete Records** | Yes | Yes |
| **Inline Editing** | Yes | Yes |
| **Bulk Operations** | Yes | Limited |
| **Sorting** | Click column | Click column |
| **Filtering** | Visual builder | Column filtering |
| **Search** | Real-time | Limited |
| **Favorites** | Yes | Yes |
| **Connection Profiles** | Yes | Yes |
| **Keyboard Shortcuts** | Extensive | Extensive |
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Query Editor">
| Feature | WhoDB | TablePlus |
|---------|:----:|:--------:|
| **SQL Editor** | Yes | Yes |
| **Syntax Highlighting** | Yes | Yes |
| **Auto-completion** | Yes | Yes |
| **Query History** | Searchable | Recent queries |
| **Saved Queries** | Yes | Yes |
| **Multi-Query** | Multi-cell | Sequential |
| **Export Results** | Yes | Yes |
| **Execution Time** | Yes | Yes |
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Data Export">
| Feature | WhoDB | TablePlus |
|---------|:----:|:--------:|
| **CSV** | Yes | Yes |
| **JSON** | Yes | Yes |
| **SQL** | Yes | Yes |
| **Excel** | Yes | Yes |
| **XML** | No | Yes |
| **PDF** | No | Yes |
| **Column Selection** | Yes | Yes |
| **Custom Delimiters** | Yes | Yes |
| **Filter Before Export** | Yes | Yes |
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Administration">
| Feature | WhoDB | TablePlus |
|---------|:----:|:--------:|
| **User Management** | Yes | Yes |
| **Privilege Management** | Yes | Yes |
| **Database Creation** | Yes | Yes |
| **Index Management** | Yes | Yes |
| **Constraint Management** | Yes | Yes |
| **View Management** | Yes | Yes |
| **Backup/Restore** | Limited | Limited |
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Visualization">
| Feature | WhoDB | TablePlus |
|---------|:----:|:--------:|
| **Schema Graph** | Interactive | Basic |
| **Relationships** | Yes | Yes |
| **ERD Diagrams** | Yes | No |
| **Pan/Zoom** | Yes | Limited |
| **Export Diagram** | Yes | No |
</Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Unique Features

### WhoDB Unique Features

<CardGroup cols={1}>
<Card title="Mock Data Generation">
Built-in realistic test data generation for all column types. Perfect for testing. TablePlus doesn't have this.
</Card>

<Card title="Interactive Schema Graph">
Visual schema exploration with clickable nodes and relationships. Helps understand complex databases instantly. TablePlus has basic visualization only.
</Card>

<Card title="Multi-Cell Notebooks">
Organize queries into cells like Jupyter notebooks. Great for complex workflows. TablePlus doesn't have this.
</Card>

<Card title="Team Collaboration">
Central web server for team access. Share database connections easily. TablePlus requires individual setup.
</Card>

<Card title="Web-Based Access">
Access from any browser anywhere. Perfect for distributed teams. TablePlus is desktop-only.
</Card>
</CardGroup>

### TablePlus Unique Features

<CardGroup cols={1}>
<Card title="Native Desktop App">
Beautifully designed native application. Integrates with OS perfectly. Feels like a professional tool. WhoDB is browser-based.
</Card>

<Card title="Offline Access">
Works completely offline after installation. Access databases without internet. WhoDB requires internet connection.
</Card>

<Card title="Advanced Export Formats">
PDF, XML export options beyond WhoDB's capabilities. More export flexibility.
</Card>

<Card title="OS Integration">
Dock integration, system menu, notification support. Deep OS integration. WhoDB is browser-based so no system integration.
</Card>

<Card title="Multiple Tabs/Windows">
Open multiple database connections side by side. Multi-window support. WhoDB uses browser tabs.
</Card>
</CardGroup>

## User Interface Comparison

### WhoDB Interface

**Strengths:**
- Very clean, minimalist design
- Consistent across all platforms
- Dark mode support
- Spreadsheet-like data grid
- Intuitive for new users
- Schema visualization included
- Keyboard-driven workflow

**Trade-offs:**
- Browser interface (not native)
- Limited OS integration
- Requires learning browser navigation

### TablePlus Interface

**Strengths:**
- Beautiful, polished native design
- Excellent macOS integration
- Professional appearance
- Native application feel
- OS-specific optimizations
- Context menus match OS conventions

**Trade-offs:**
- Different interface per OS
- Not as consistent across platforms
- Less visible schema visualization

## Learning Curve and Onboarding

### WhoDB Onboarding

**Time to Productivity:** 10-15 minutes

- Modern SaaS design patterns (familiar if you use any web app)
- Intuitive sidebar navigation
- Self-explanatory data grid
- Click to explore features

### TablePlus Onboarding

**Time to Productivity:** 10-15 minutes

- Native app experience (familiar if you use desktop apps)
- Context menus and traditional app navigation
- Quick feature discovery
- Professional tool feel

**Verdict:** Both equally easy to learn, different paradigms
- Choose TablePlus if you prefer desktop app conventions
- Choose WhoDB if you prefer web app conventions

## Use Case Comparison

<AccordionGroup>
<Accordion title="Solo Developer (Mac User)">
**WhoDB:**
- Free option (no purchase necessary)
- Works on any device including iPad
- Always up to date
- Could share databases with teammates

**TablePlus:**
- $89-$129 one-time purchase
- Beautiful macOS native experience
- Works offline
- Professional tool feel

**Recommendation:** TablePlus if you value native experience and don't mind paying. WhoDB if you prefer free and multi-device access.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Development Team (5+ people)">
**WhoDB:**
- Huge cost advantage ($0 vs. $445+)
- Central deployment, easy onboarding
- All team members have consistent experience
- Easy scaling to larger team
- Supports remote work

**TablePlus:**
- Each developer needs license ($89-$129 each)
- Individual setup on each machine
- Team features limited
- Different experience per OS

**Recommendation:** WhoDB wins decisively for teams
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Remote Developer (Digital Nomad)">
**WhoDB:**
- Access from anywhere via browser
- Works on any device
- No installation needed anywhere
- Always up to date
- Mobile/tablet friendly

**TablePlus:**
- Can install on each device
- Works offline after install
- Requires installation at each location
- Heavier to set up when traveling

**Recommendation:** WhoDB for remote workers
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Local Development (Single Machine)">
**WhoDB:**
- Works great locally
- Can run on same machine as database
- Docker support for databases
- Free

**TablePlus:**
- Excellent local experience
- Native performance
- Beautiful interface
- Professional feel

**Recommendation:** Tie - both excellent, choose based on preference
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Database Administration">
**WhoDB:**
- Good for basic admin
- Visual schema helps
- Mock data for testing scenarios
- Team access for shared admin

**TablePlus:**
- Excellent for standard admin
- Multiple windows for complex operations
- Native performance
- Good feature set

**Recommendation:** TablePlus slightly better for pure admin work
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Data Analysis and Export">
**WhoDB:**
- Mock data to test queries
- Good export options
- Visual filtering
- Fast and responsive

**TablePlus:**
- More export formats (PDF, XML)
- Good filtering
- Quick export process
- Professional results

**Recommendation:** Tie - both excellent, TablePlus slightly more export options
</Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Security and Compliance

Both tools support secure database access:

<AccordionGroup>
<Accordion title="Connection Security">
| Feature | WhoDB | TablePlus |
|---------|:----:|:--------:|
| **SSL/TLS** | Yes | Yes |
| **SSH Tunnel** | Yes | Yes |
| **Certificate Support** | Yes | Yes |
| **Custom Certs** | Yes | Yes |
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Authentication">
| Feature | WhoDB | TablePlus |
|---------|:----:|:--------:|
| **Database Auth** | Yes | Yes |
| **LDAP** | EE only | No |
| **OAuth** | EE only | No |
| **Local Auth** | Yes | Yes |
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Credentials">
**WhoDB:**
- Browser-stored profiles
- Optional server storage
- Environment variables
- Cleared on logout

**TablePlus:**
- Local desktop storage
- Encrypted credentials
- System keychain integration
</Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

**Verdict:** Both secure. TablePlus has system keychain integration. WhoDB Enterprise has LDAP/OAuth.

## Real-World Scenarios

### Scenario 1: Freelance Developer

**Situation:** Solo developer, works from multiple locations

**WhoDB:**
- Free ($0)
- Works anywhere (browser access)
- Can work from coworking space, home, client office
- Mobile access for quick checks
- Always updated
- **Cost: $0**

**TablePlus:**
- One-time purchase ($89-$129)
- Must install on each device
- Works offline once installed
- Beautiful macOS experience
- Manual updates
- **Cost: $89-$129**

**Result:** Both work well. WhoDB saves money and has location flexibility. TablePlus has native beauty.

### Scenario 2: Small Startup (5-10 developers)

**Situation:** Growing team, shared database access

**WhoDB:**
- Free for all developers
- Central deployment
- Easy to onboard new developers
- Consistent experience
- Scales as team grows
- **Cost: $0**

**TablePlus:**
- $89-$129 per developer
- Each person manages own installation
- Different experience per developer's OS
- Harder to standardize
- **Cost: $445-$1,290+**

**Result:** WhoDB wins dramatically for teams

### Scenario 3: Enterprise Team (50+ developers)

**Situation:** Large team with centralized IT

**WhoDB:**
- Free
- Single deployment to manage
- Easy IT management
- Scaling to 50+ users is straightforward
- Consistent across organization
- **Cost: $0 (CE) or custom (EE)**

**TablePlus:**
- $89-$129 per developer
- 50 separate installations
- Significant licensing cost
- Deployment complexity
- **Cost: $4,450-$6,450+**

**Result:** WhoDB vastly superior for large teams

### Scenario 4: Mac Developer Premium Experience

**Situation:** Individual Mac developer who values native apps

**WhoDB:**
- Web-based (not native Mac app)
- Good performance
- Multi-platform access
- Free
- **Cost: $0**

**TablePlus:**
- Native Mac app (beautiful integration)
- Excellent performance
- Dock integration, system menu
- Professional feel
- **Cost: $89-$129**

**Result:** TablePlus if native experience is priority, WhoDB if multi-platform or budget matters

## Migration Considerations

### From TablePlus to WhoDB

If you're considering switching:

<Steps>
<Step title="Evaluate Your Team Size">
Solo? TablePlus is fine. Team? WhoDB makes sense.
</Step>

<Step title="Test WhoDB Free Version">
Install WhoDB and try it for a week alongside TablePlus. See if it meets your needs.
</Step>

<Step title="Assess Cost Savings">
- 5 people on TablePlus: $445+ spent
- Same 5 on WhoDB: $0
- Savings grow with team
</Step>

<Step title="Plan Migration">
- Create connections in WhoDB
- Import saved queries
- Train team on interface (easy, ~15 minutes each)
- Run both during transition
- Cut over when comfortable
</Step>

<Step title="Keep TablePlus?">
Many developers keep TablePlus for:
- Native app preference
- Offline work
- Specific workflows

Hybrid approach: WhoDB for team, TablePlus for individuals who prefer it.
</Step>
</Steps>

### From WhoDB to TablePlus

If you need TablePlus specific features (offline, native app, PDF export):

- Export saved queries
- Set up connections in TablePlus
- Take advantage of rich features
- Keep WhoDB if team will use it

## Final Verdict

<CardGroup cols={2}>
<Card title="Choose WhoDB If You:" icon="checkmark">
- Work in a team (2+ people)
- Use multiple devices
- Need remote access
- Deploy to Docker/Kubernetes
- Have limited budget
- Prefer web-based tools
- Want team standardization
- Need cross-platform consistency
- Value free and open source
- Work with diverse databases
</Card>

<Card title="Choose TablePlus If You:" icon="checkmark">
- Solo developer or small solo team
- Prefer native desktop apps
- Mac is primary platform
- Work offline frequently
- Value professional app feel
- Want advanced export formats
- Don't need team features
- Budget allows for purchase
- Prefer one-time payment
- Like deep OS integration
</Card>
</CardGroup>

## Hybrid Approach

Many developers use both tools strategically:

<CardGroup cols={1}>
<Card title="Best of Both Worlds">
**Use WhoDB for:**
- Team database access
- Remote/distributed work
- Development databases
- Daily team workflows

**Use TablePlus for:**
- Local development
- Native app experience
- Offline access
- Personal workflows
- Advanced exports

**Result:** Maximum productivity and flexibility
</Card>
</CardGroup>

## Try WhoDB Today

Ready to see if WhoDB meets your needs?

<CardGroup cols={2}>
<Card title="Install WhoDB Free" icon="download" href="/installation">
Get started in under 5 minutes
</Card>
<Card title="Live Demo" icon="play" href="https://whodb.com/demo">
Try without installing
</Card>
</CardGroup>

## Common Questions

<AccordionGroup>
<Accordion title="Can WhoDB replace TablePlus for me?">
If you're a solo developer who prefers web-based apps and multi-device access, yes. If you love native apps and work offline frequently, you might miss TablePlus's experience. Try WhoDB free first.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Is WhoDB as fast as TablePlus?">
Both are fast for query execution. TablePlus slightly faster startup (native app). WhoDB faster after startup (optimized). For daily work, differences minimal. Most users don't notice the difference.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Can I use both tools together?">
Yes, absolutely. Many developers do this. Use WhoDB for team/shared work and TablePlus for personal workflows. They work perfectly alongside each other.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="What if I need offline access?">
TablePlus is the solution for offline-first work. WhoDB requires internet. If you work offline frequently, TablePlus is necessary. If occasionally offline, WhoDB is fine.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Which is better for Mac?">
TablePlus has beautiful native Mac integration. WhoDB works great on Mac too (browser-based). Choose TablePlus if native experience is important, WhoDB if multi-device access is priority.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="What about team collaboration?">
WhoDB is built for teams with central deployment. TablePlus is individual-focused. For 5+ person teams, WhoDB is dramatically better. For solo work, TablePlus is adequate.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Is the $89-$129 cost worth it?">
For solo developers who value native apps and don't mind paying, yes. For teams, no (WhoDB is free and better for teams). For budget-conscious developers, WhoDB's free option is compelling.
</Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

<Tip>
**Pro Tip:** Try WhoDB free for a month. If you love it, great—you save money and get team features. If you prefer TablePlus's native experience, buy it. Both are excellent tools; choose based on your workflow and values.
</Tip>

---

**Ready to experience modern database management?** [Install WhoDB now](/installation) and discover if it's the right fit for you.
